The Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 1999

Regulation 10(f)

SCHEDULE 1 SATELLITE EPIRBS

Every satellite EPIRB provided pursuant to these Regulations shall be–

(1) capable of transmitting a distress alert either through the Cospas-Sarsat satellite service operating in the 406 MHz band or, alternatively, in sea areas A1, A2 and A3 only, through the INMARSAT geostationary satellite service operating in the 1.6 GHz band;

(2) installed in an easily accessible position;

(3) ready to be manually released and capable of being carried by one person into a survival craft;

(4) capable of floating free if the fishing vessel sinks;

(5) capable of being activated manually; and

(6) automatically activated when afloat.

Regulation 17(9)

SCHEDULE 2 EQUIPMENT TESTS AND RESERVE ENERGY CHECKS

Daily

1.—(a) The proper functioning of the DSC facilities shall be tested at least once each day, without radiation of signals, by use of the means provided on the equipment.

(b) Batteries providing a source of energy for any part of the radio installations shall be tested daily and, where necessary, brought up to the fully charged condition.

Weekly

2.—(a) The proper operation of the DSC facilities shall be tested at least once a week by means of a test call, when within communication range of a coast station fitted with DSC equipment. Where a fishing vessel has been out of communication range of a coast station fitted with DSC equipment for a period of longer than one week, a test call shall be made on the first opportunity that the fishing vessel is within communication range of such a coast station.

(b) Where the reserve source of energy is not a battery (for example, a motor generator), the reserve source of energy shall be tested weekly.

Monthly

3.—(a) Each EPIRB and satellite EPIRB shall be examined at least once a month to check–

(i) its capability to operate properly, particularly its ability to float free (where required to do so) in the event of the fishing vessel sinking,

(ii) how secure it is in its mounting, and

(iii) for signs of damage.

(b) Each search and rescue radar transponder shall be examined at least once a month to check how secure it is in its mounting and for signs of damage.

(c) Each survival craft two-way VHF equipment shall be tested at least once a month on a frequency other than 156.8 MHz (VHF Channel 16), unless the equipment is of a sealed type where such testing is not practical.

(d) A check shall be made at least once a month on the condition of all batteries providing a source of energy for any part of a radio installation and on how secure they are in their mountings. The battery connections and compartment shall also be checked.

Regulations 19(1) and 25(1)

SCHEDULE 3 RADIO LOGS

PART I GMDSS RADIO LOG

The following shall be recorded in the GMDSS Radio Log as they occur–

(a) a summary of communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic and the time such communications occurred;

(b) a record of important incidents connected with the radio service and the time such incidents occurred; and

(c) where appropriate, the position of the fishing vessel at least once a day and the time at which the fishing vessel was at that position.

PART II SIMPLIFIED FV GMDSS RADIO LOG

A summary of communications relating to distress traffic in which the fishing vessel has participated, and the times at which such communications occurred, shall be recorded in the Simplified FV GMDSS Radio Log as the communications occur.

Regulation 21(1)

SCHEDULE 4 EQUIPMENT FOR NON-DIRECTIVE FISHING VESSELS(NEW FISHING VESSELS OF 12 METRES OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 24 METRES IN LENGTH, AND EXISTING FISHING VESSELS OF 12 METRES OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 45 METRES IN LENGTH)

	Equipment	Sea area
		A1	A2	A3	A4
1	Hand held VHF radio(1)	1	1	1	1
2	Fixed VHF radio installation(2)	1	1	1	1
3	VHF Channel 70 DSC watch installation(3)	1	1	1	1
4	Float-free satellite EPIRB with a 121.5 MHz homing device(4)	1	1	1	1
5	MF radio installation(5)		1
6	INMARSAT—C		or 1	1
7	MF/HF radio installation(6)		or 1	or 1	1
8	NAVTEX receiver		1	1	1
9	INMARSAT enhanced group calling (EGC) receiver			1	1

(1)

The equipment must be capable of operating on VHF Channel 16 and one other channel and be of a type specifically designed for operation in survival craft. In particular, the equipment must be rendered fully waterproof either through design or use of suitable covers. A spare, fully charged battery must be available in case of emergency.

(2)

The VHF radio installation must be capable of transmitting and receiving DSC on channel 70, and radiotelephony on channel 6, channel 13 and channel 16.

(3)

This may be combined with the fixed VHF radio installation

(4)

The satellite EPIRB must be installed in an easily accessible position where it can be manually released and placed in a liferaft.

(5)

The MF radio installation must be capable of transmitting and receiving, for distress and safety purposes, on the frequencies 2187.5 kHz using DSC, and 2182 kHz using radiotelephony. A radio installation capable of maintaining a continuous listening watch on the frequency 2187.5 kHz using DSC, which may be separate from, or combined with, this equipment, must also be provided. If an INMARSAT—C or an MF/HF radio installation is fitted on the fishing vessel, an MF radio installation is not required.

(6)

The MF/HF radio installation must be capable of transmitting and receiving, for distress and safety purposes, on all distress and safety frequencies in the bands between 1,605 kHz and 4,000 kHz and between 4,000 kHz and 27,500 kHz using DSC, radiotelephony and direct-printing telegraphy (telex). A facility to maintain DSC watch on 2,187.5 kHz, 8,414.5 kHz and on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4,207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12,577 kHz or 16804.5 kHz must also be provided.